composition, separation of roles and model-driven ... › robostar › robosoft › slides ›...

13.11.2019 RoboSoft - Royal Academy of Engineering, London - Christian Schlegel 1

Composition, Separation of Roles and Model-Driven Approaches

as Enabler of a Robotics Software Ecosystem

Towards an EU Digital Industrial Platform for Robotics

Prof. Dr. Christian Schlegel, Technische Hochschule Ulm, www.servicerobotik-ulm.de, [email protected]

• Technical Lead of EU H2020 Project RobMoSys – Better Models, Better Tools, Better Systems

• Responsible for the Model-Driven Tooling in the BMWi PAiCE Project SeRoNet

• Coordinator of the euRobotics aisbl Topic Group on Software Engineering, System Integration, System Engineering

• Team is maintainer of the SmartSoft world including the Eclipse-based SmartMDSD Tooling

http://www.servicerobotik-ulm.de/


Towards an EU Digital Industrial Platform for Robotics• The world is entering an era in which ideas and insights come from everywhere, and crowds, clouds, collaborators, competitions, and

co-creators can fundamentally help define our shared future. The business environment is being permanently altered as a result. • Ecosystems are dynamic and co-evolving communities of diverse actors who create and capture new value through both collaboration

and competition.

For the most part, supply chain functions of large businesses weren’t set up to deal with a world of thousands of partners. Now they must adjust.

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A distinctive characteristic of many ecosystems is that they form to achieve something together that lies beyond the effective scope and capabilities of any

individual actor (or even group of broadly similar actors).


• Can we think of complex robotic systems before we build them?

• Can we answer „what if“ questions and can we find adequate solutions?

• Can we put systems together out of configurable „as is“ building blocks?

• Can we keep the behavior when we e.g. exchange the middleware?

• Can we bring effort & costs in relation to similarity of an application?

• Can we build adequate solutions with adequate effort?

• Can we explain why the system does what?

• Can we generate enough trust into the systems – and how and by what means?


…

100%high effort

low effort0%

same application

entirely newapplication

keep effort inrelation to changes

reduce overall effort tobuild application

change in requirements

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https://www.fendt.com/de/xaverhttps://www.youtube.com/user/RoboticsAtHsUlm

Servicerobotics Research Group / Technische Hochschule Ulm

https://www.fendt.com/de/xaver

https://www.youtube.com/user/RoboticsAtHsUlm


https://doi.org/10.2314/GBV:87332112X

https://doi.org/10.2314/GBV:87332112X


https://robmosys.euhttps://robmosys.eu/wiki/open-call-2https://discourse.robmosys.euhttps://robmosys.eu/wiki

https://www.seronet-projekt.de/plattform/tooling.html

conforms to

Towards an EU Digital Industrial Platform for RoboticsProjects EU H2020 RobMoSys and BMWi PAiCE SeRoNet


RobMoSys is more than just another project…

eITUS

Safety View for Papyrus4Robotics

CARVEYARP Mixed Port Component with

SmartMDSD

EG-IPC

Meta-ModelsModels

Plug & BenchBenchmark Engineering

Tool for Skill Level,links with SmartMDSD

Mood2BeGroot, an IDE to

create, modify and monitor BehaviorTrees

Mood2BeBehaviorTree.CPP:

Execution engine for behavior trees

https://robmosys.eu/wiki/baseline:start

RoQMEPlugins for the SmartMDSD

Toolchain

https://robmosys.eu/wiki/jumppage

https://robmosys.eu/wiki/open-call-2

Definition of the RobMoSys Ecosystem:

The collection of assets (tools, models,

software components, application pilots,

guidance documents) and services (e.g. for

adoption, coaching) issued by RobMoSys,

which are developed, maintained and evolved

by the RobMoSys Community.






conform-to

SmartMDSD Tooling

RobMoSys Plugins

SeRoNet Plugins

OPC UA Plugins

Middleware Plugins

… Plugins

madeaccessibleby tooling

madeaccessibleby tooling

supports

separation of roles

building blockswith data sheets:• selection• composition• configuration• implementing• modification

supports

supports

import / export of• service-definitions• S/W-components• robot systems• applications

technology-agnosticgeneric structuresenabling compositionallow separation of roles

Brokerage platformOPC UA as base technology

conforms to

conforms to

The SmartMDSD Tooling: Conformant to RobMoSys and SeRoNet


Process: Sustainability

RobMoSys provides a concept & structure & mechanism• to deal with different coexisting levels of maturity, acceptance, innovation, …• to achieve evolvement, be inclusive, to achieve trust, to go beyond project life-times, …

Topic Group Software Engineering, System Integration, System EngineeringConsolidated Concepts

Tier 1: Stewardship(industry & academia)

RobMoSys Conceptse.g.Composition Structures,Component Model, Digital Data Sheet

SeRoNet Conceptse.g.Mixed Port Component,Digital Data Sheet

ROSIN Conceptse.g.Code Scanning,Testing Methods

Eclipse Working Group Robotics other bodies...

…

Tier 2: Horizontal Structured Dialog(industry & academia)

ROS 2 ROS I

SmartSoftACEDDSOPC UA

SeRoNetBrokeragePlatformOperation

SeRoNet

OPC UA

...

Tier 3: Individual activities with their partners and platforms

SmartMDSDRobMoSys PluginsSeRoNet Plugins…

VDMACompanion Specifications

PapyrusRobMoSysPlugins

● Meta-Meta-Models, Meta-Models, Models● Conceptual Models, Domain Models● Block-Port-Connector● ...

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②

③

④⑤

… ……

DIHs

… …

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Other Topic Groups<name>Consolidated Concepts

euRobotics accepts role of host and of stewardship for robotics body-of-knowledgesupport for topic groups that these can fill the host and stewardship role in their respective domains


Component Based

Blocks, Ports, Connectors

Service OrientedModel-Driven

Separation of Roles

CompositionComposabilityCompositionality

Separation of Concerns

Business Ecosystem

Technology Agnostic

Quality of ServiceResource AwarenessAdequateness

…

Digital Data Sheets

Run-time Variability forAdequateness, Robustness, …

Hooks for formal methods

What is the approach? What is the way of thinking?


Composition, Blocks, Ports, Connectors, Data Sheets, Models

…

Support as much freedom as possible while still ensuring composability despite separation of roles

Which patterns and structures form the sweet spotbetween freedom of choice and freedom from choice?


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Tier 1 content:Modeling Foundations & Composition Structures

Tier 2 content:Domain Models & Stacks

Tier 3 content:Components & Systems

• Methodology• Meta Models• Models• Implementation

Technologies• Toolings• Building Blocks• Pilot Applications• Repositories• Processes

Meta-Model:domain-independent

Model:domain-specific(mobile robots, intralogistics, manipulation, …)

Implementation:components and systems

Ex

am

ple

I4.0

:

CompanionSpecification

ConformantDevices


Architectural Pattern for CommunicationArchitectural Pattern for Component CoordinationArchitectural Pattern for Software ComponentsArchitectural Pattern for Managing Transition of System StatesArchitectural Pattern for Task-Plot Coordination (Robotic Behaviors)Architectural Pattern for Service DefinitionsArchitectural Pattern for Stepwise Management of Extra-Functional PropertiesArchitectural Pattern for Coordinate-Frame TransformationArchitectural Pattern for Reservation Based Resource Management…


Architectural Pattern for CommunicationArchitectural Pattern for Component CoordinationArchitectural Pattern for Software ComponentsArchitectural Pattern for Managing Transition of System StatesArchitectural Pattern for Task-Plot Coordination (Robotic Behaviors)Architectural Pattern for Service DefinitionsArchitectural Pattern for Stepwise Management of Extra-Functional PropertiesArchitectural Pattern for Coordinate-Frame TransformationArchitectural Pattern for Reservation Based Resource Management…

Tier 1 provides the general structures for composition. Three levels can be distinguished:

Not just another level of indirection, but levels of abstraction with a real benefit

flexible navigation stackmanipulation stackobject recognition stack…


S/W component with communication (service-orientedports), configuration (resources, parameters), coordination(modes, lifecycle), computation


The Concept of a Digital Data Sheet

• Data sheets are models

• A data sheet describes an outside view of an asset, including its variation points

• A data sheet includes internals only as far as you need to know them for using the asset

and for predicting its fit (behavior, structure) for your context

• Data sheets are, by purpose, not rich enough for synthesis of the artefact



Data Sheets are Models

Describes outside view, including internals only as faras you need to know them for using the asset and forpredicting its fit (behavior, structure) for your cóntext

Synthesis


• Brokerage Platform• Online marketplace

• Component selection• Component composition• Component configuration

• Runtime adaptation• Context awareness• Robustness and self-X

Digital Data Sheet as Submodel of

Industry 4.0 Asset Administration Shell



Data Sheets, Handover, Coverage and Conformance

RobMoSys provides a concept & structure & mechanism• to deal with different coexisting levels of maturity, acceptance, innovation, …• to achieve evolvement, be inclusive, to achieve trust, to go beyond project life-times, …

Wiki „Incubator“ => Wiki „Stable Body-of-Knowledge“


The Concept of Dependency Graphs

• Horizontal / vertical composition and the challenge of managing resources

• Separation of control flow and data flow

• Composability:

• Resource shares, reservation based mechanisms, constraints are composable

• Priorities are not composable

…


Horizontal / Vertical Composition: Separation of Control / Data Flow, Resource Management

resource sharesmanaged by thisentity

consistent assignmentof resource shares(forward constraints)

request / negotiateresource shares(accept constraints)

get resource shares(get constraints)

resource mgmt(constraint solving)

get resource shares(propose constraints)

assign resource shares(forward constraints)

assign resource shares(accept constraints)

consistent assignmentof resource shares(constraint forwarding)

request / negotiateresource shares(propose constraints)

horizontal

vert

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(c)(a)

(b)E

F

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V

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Horizontal: „difficult“

Ve

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al:

„s

imp

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(a) Consistent because of either vertical coordination by E or horizontal coordination F asking G

(b) Consistent because of either vertical coordination above EFG and RSVW orjust horizontal coordination E asking S

(c) Consistent because of either vertical coordination by RV for SW or S asking W


The software component model supportsconfiguration of the following settings at systemcomposition time (as represented in the datasheets) without recompilation:• register / trigger semantic for communication• port trigger / timed trigger for computation• scheduling constraints• sanity checks and run-time monitors•…

Horizontal / Vertical Composition: Dependency Graphs

Dependency graphs• to model needs for data consistency, data sync, data quality, data aging, cause-effect-chains, etc.• to configure computation model

…

…


Behavior Coordination: Skill- / Task-LevelSemantic Communication

• not only „what to do“ (the task), but also „how to do it“ (quality of service, adequateness)• Data sheets for skills: reuse of task models with robots coming with different capabilities


Behavior Coordination: Data Sheets for Skills


https://robmosys.eu/wiki/community:behavior-tree-demo:start

https://robmosys.eu/wiki/community:behavior-tree-demo:start


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54_skOuHsds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54_skOuHsds


SmartTCL

dynamic behavior tree• parallel (one-of, all), sequential, expansion, …horizontal• e.g. resource share reservation in knowledge basevertical• e.g. expand task node under constraints and forward constraints

• resource gripper fully occupied• constraint „hold always upside“

• component operating mode• assignment of resource shares• constraints forwarding

13.11.2019RoboSoft - Royal Academy of Engineering, London - Christian Schlegel 30

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SeRoNet / RobMoSys conformant S/W building blocks

https://youtu.be/Zz66I4NVtNU


SmartTCL

https://youtu.be/RHvvb6lTHG4


The concept of early binding of semanticsbut late binding of technology

Middleware Late Binding / Middleware Agnostic Modeling



• Mixture of different middlewares within a single system• Middleware can be decided per connection• Late binding of middleware at deployment without recompilation of components


Early binding of semantics and late binding of technology

skipping RobMoSys composition patterns and making mapping shortcuts ignoring semantics produces semantic gap This destroys composition

instead, align with the RobMoSys structures early (not late) binding of semantics, late (not early) binding of technology

• generic block, port, connector• generic request / response• generic publish / subscribe• generic task etc.

• RobMoSys request / response• RobMoSys publish / subscribe• RobMoSys task etc.

RobMoSys composition patterns(structural / semantic bindingfor composition)

all behave in the same way

late binding of technologyall behave in the same way

Layer of RobMoSys composition patterns skipped=> semantic gap !

Late binding of semantics=> all request / response etc. behave differently

nothing fits togetherno composabilityno interoperability

Early binding to a technologywith an individual semantics…

Early binding of semanticswith late binding of technology✓



Mixed Port Component as Migration Path

by RobMoSys ITP Carve

by PAiCE SeRoNet

for structured (Companion Specs)

and unstructured OPC UA by PAiCE SeRoNet

Supported Middlewares

• ACE (SmartSoft)

• DDS (SmartSoft )

• OPC UA (SeRoNet)

https://wiki.servicerobotik-ulm.de/tutorials:start

https://wiki.servicerobotik-ulm.de/tutorials:start


I want to use it …I want to contribute …I want to …

13.11.2019RoboSoft - Royal Academy of Engineering, London - Christian Schlegel 39

RobMoSys Open Access Repositories• Methodology• Meta Models• Models• Implementation

Technologies• Toolings• Building Blocks• Pilot Applications• Repositories• Processes

Composing a Robotics Application in a Day – A low code approachWe make Robotics Software Systems Engineering easier!

• one-click download of the full Open-Source Eclipse-based development environment• start development with zero installation effort• comes with Gazebo-Simulator and all kinds of components, stacks, pilot applications, tutorials, etc.• skill-based engineering, task-level coordination, robot fleet coordination, graphical tools for end-users• fully middleware-agnostic: ACE, DDS, OPC UA, etc.• mixed-port component as migration path: link to ROS, I4.0 OPC UA, etc.


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https://wiki.servicerobotik-ulm.de/smartmdsd-toolchain:start

https://wiki.servicerobotik-ulm.de/start




https://wiki.servicerobotik-ulm.de/smartmdsd-toolchain:start

https://wiki.servicerobotik-ulm.de/start


Models always have a purpose: overall purpose is consistency• organize consistent abstraction for e.g. prediction• better understanding in early phases avoids costs at later stages• organize interfaces and ensure fits while decoupling roles, responsibiilities, scopes, etc.• ensure traceability of properties, conformance by design and not just by discipline, etc.

A model-driven approach allows to…secure your design and solution efforts…decouple different paces of evolution…be technology-agnostic (semantics: early binding / technology: late binding)…predict what you get before you build it…exploit the power of combinatorics…explicate otherwise hidden magic numbers…benefit from low effort in modifications towards lot size 1…achieve robust job fulfillment by context-aware run-time decisions


Current Steps towards adequateness everywhere via data sheets:• extensions of horizontal / vertical rresource and quality management

• resource share reservations and contracting• from the task net level down to the OS / middleware, from design-time to run-time

• success stories for management of system level properties• safety, resource quality, free of interference, …

composition, separation of roles and model-driven ... › robostar › robosoft › slides ›...

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